8 Best Sights in The Japan Alps and the North Chubu Coast, Japan

These traditional farmhouses, dating from the Edo period, were transplanted from all over the region. Many of the houses are A-frames with thatch roofs called gassho-zukuri (praying hands). A dozen of the buildings are "private houses" displaying folk artifacts like tableware and weaving tools. Another five houses are folk-craft workshops, with demonstrations of ichii ittobori (wood carving), Hida-nuri (Hida lacquering), and other traditional regional arts, as well as hands-on crafting experiences. It's possible to walk here from Takayama Station, or take a 10-minute bus ride.

This mansion once belonged to a physician who served the local daimyo (feudal lord). It has mysterious eccentricities—hanging ceilings, secret windows, and hidden passages—all of which suggest ninja associations. Displays include wall hangings, weaving machines, and other Hida regional items.

The city's oldest temple, dating from 1588, houses many objects of art in its treasure house, including a precious sword used by the Heike clan. In the Main Hall (built in 1615) sits a figure of Yakushi Nyorai, a Buddha who eases those struggling with illness. In front of the three-story pagoda is a wooden statue of another esoteric Buddhist figure, Kannon Bosatsu, who vowed to hear the voices of all people and immediately grant salvation to those who suffer. The ginkgo tree standing beside the pagoda is believed to be more than 1,250 years old.

This museum is in a house from the 1880s that belonged to the Kusakabe family—wealthy traders of the Edo period. This national treasure served as a residence and warehouse, where the handsome interior, with heavy, polished beams and an earthy barren floor, provides an appropriate setting for Hida folk crafts such as lacquered bowls and wood carvings, as well as trappings of family wealth that include a bridal palanquin.

A 10-minute walk east of Takayama Station, this charming, old street in the heart of Takayama's historic quarter is lined with wooden Edo-era merchant homes and stores, as well as the occasional tall kura warehouse built to house Takayama's priceless festival floats. Be warned that it can get extremely crowded with tourists, but it's still worth a stroll. You'll find old sake breweries here, like Funasaka at the street's southern end, where you can sample local brews. As well as craft stores and cafes, there are also plenty of small stores selling snacks, such as skewers of Hida beef, Hida beef sushi, or sweet dango dumplings.

The main hall of Shoren-ji in Shiroyama Koen (Shiroyama Park) was built in 1504. It was moved here in 1961 from its original site in Shirakawa-go, right before the area was flooded by the Miboro Dam. Beautifully carved, allegedly from the wood of a single cedar tree, this temple is an excellent example of classic Muromachi-period architecture. The temple sits on a hill surrounded by gardens, and you can see the Takayama skyline and the park below.

This community center displays four of the 17th- and 18th-century yatai (festival floats) used in Takayama's famous Sanno and Hachi-man festivals. More than two centuries ago Japan was ravaged by the bubonic plague, and yatai were built and paraded through the streets to appease the gods. Because this seemed to work, locals built bigger, more elaborate yatai to prevent further outbreaks. The delicately etched wooden panels, carved wooden lion-head masks for dances, and elaborate tapestries are remarkable. Technical wizardry is also involved, as each yatai contains puppets, controlled by rods and wires, that perform amazing, gymnast-like feats.

This rare collection of stately buildings housed the 25 officials of the Tokugawa Shogunate who administered the Hida region for 176 years. Highlights include an original storehouse (1606), which held city taxes in sacks of rice, a torture chamber (curiously translated as the "law court"), and samurai barracks. Free, guided tours in English are available on request and take 30 to 50 minutes. Fruit, vegetables, and local crafts are sold at the nearby Jinya-mae Asa-ichi morning market, open until noon. From the JR Station, head east on Hirokoji-dori for a few blocks to the old section of town. Before the bridge, which crosses the small Miya-gawa, turn right, pass another bridge, and the Takayama Jinya is on your right.